


Petra, Penmanship, Paperwork

by Fliggy



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Levi Gets Frustrated, One Shot, Paperwork, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 10:22:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14566956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fliggy/pseuds/Fliggy
Summary: When Erwin gives Levi a fresh stack of paperwork, he enlists Petra's help to finish before the end of the night. But Petra quickly notices something is amiss. Why is Levi getting so frustrated? A classic scene, but with a twist. One-shot.





	Petra, Penmanship, Paperwork

“Uh. Petra.” Levi’s head was sticking out from the doorway of his office. He had an expression of distaste, like he’d smelled something bitter, or noticed a piece of lint on his jacket. Nervously, Petra wondered if she’d done something wrong.

“Yes, Captain?”

“Could you… um…” Levi paused. “Could you grab Gunter or Eld for me? I need their help with—I need someone to look over… something… in my office…”

“I think Gunter and Eld might both be out for the day, sir. They’re helping Hange with her new experiments, if I’m not mistaken.” Petra smiled apologetically.

“Tch.” His head disappeared back into his office. Petra hesitated, unsure if he wanted her to leave or stay. She heard Levi muttering to himself, then what sounded like the fluttering of papers, and finally some mild cursing.

“I think Olou is around somewhere,” she offered towards the doorway. After a second, Levi’s head popped back into view.

“No, that’s fine. Can you, um… just step in for a second. Need your help. Shouldn’t take long.”

Petra stepped in, curious. She’d been in Levi’s office a few times before, but always for the weekly cleaning operations that the captain insisted on. Then, seeing his desk, she immediately grasped the issue at hand.

“Paperwork?”

“Yeah.” Levi scratched behind one ear. He looked as uncomfortable as she’d ever seen him. “New policy or something. Military wants it if we’re bringing titans inside the walls for experiments. Erwin just dumped everything on me, and it needs to get done by tonight.”

Petra stared at the stack of papers on the desk. Any taller, it’d tower above both the captain and herself. A few additional sheets were scattered facedown around the room, breaking the spell of what would otherwise be a pristine, well-kept office.

She took a deep breath. “Okay, well, let’s get started. Why don’t you take half the stack, and I take the other half?”

His frown had gotten bigger. “Okay.”

 

* * *

 

Petra had always been a good student, and in school she’d excelled at literature and penmanship. Of course, after joining the Survey Corps, she’d abandoned scholarly pursuits. Still, even after many years, it came back to her naturally.

So, she wasn’t surprised to find that she could work quickly through her half of the papers—reading, scribbling, organizing. She was more curious about Levi, who seemed to be working at an awfully slow pace. He’d often stop and mutter silent curses to himself, staring blankly at the paper in hand. By the time she was finishing up, he’d only gotten through about a small amount of his own stack.

“Okay, so I went through these ones, and they just need you to sign.” Petra said. “Then, this one, here, is a mission report, so you’ll have to write a bit, and this one is… a survey? It wants your input on certain military decisions, sir.”

“Eh.” That frown had returned to his face. “How about you fill out those ones for me, and I’ll just sign at the bottom. It’ll go quicker.”

“The survey’s actually supposed to be confidential, sir.”

“Ah, shit. Well, I trust you on this. Just fill it out anyway.” He looked away before she could respond, rubbing the back of his neck. Petra sat for a few moments, watching him. The way he looked at the paper in his hand… the pen that lay idly at the edge of his desk…

“Sir, can I ask you something?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you… sir, please don’t be offended, but… can you read?”

Levi’s face darkened. “Of course I can read,” he muttered.

They both sat in silence for a while.

“I just have a problem with some of the bigger words. It takes me longer.” Levi said.

Petra didn’t say anything.

“I didn’t really have a, uh… traditional education,” he continued.

She nodded, but still didn’t respond.

Levi turned to her with a look of exasperation. “Okay, so you figured me out. I’m not very good at this crap. Now, would you mind helping me finish these papers?”

“Captain Levi, it’s very important that you know how to read and write.”

“Uh, why?”

Petra cleared her throat. “Because, Captain, the written language is how we communicate. It’s how we send messages and talk to one another over long distances, through letters. It’s how we sign contracts. And, it’s how we record our history. Everything we know about the world was written down somewhere. Our civilization was built on it. Didn’t you ever hear that the pen is mightier than the sword?”

Levi crossed his arms. “That’s stupid. I’m guessing whoever said that never met a Titan.”

“Okay, yeah, fair. But still, if this paperwork’s going to continue, you should learn how to do it quicker on your own. Otherwise, you’ll have to call me in here every time to help you.”

To her surprise, instead of kicking her out or swearing at her, Levi just sighed. “Alright, then,” he said. “Do your worst.”

 

* * *

 

“Like this one. What the hell does that mean?”

“Well, did you try sounding it out?”

Levi squinted at the document in front of him. “Yeah. _Rendezvous. Rennn. Dessss, Voooz_.” Petra watched his lips carefully, as he struggled to pronounce the syllables.

“Okay, so that’s actually a weird one.” Petra leaned forward, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. It’s an exception. It’s pronounced _raahn-day-voo_.”

Levi made a choking noise. “What? Really? Why?”

“Hm… I don’t really know, actually. It’s just something you learn.”

“Okay, what about this one, here? Colonel?”

“Oh, yeah. Another weird exception, sorry. That’s pronounced _kernel_.”

Levi threw his hands up in disgust. “Why are there so many goddamn exceptions in this language? Who invented this?”

“There are lots of theories, captain, but they’re pretty sure the language comes from before we were trapped inside the walls.”

“Tch. That’s too bad. They’ve all been eaten by Titans, then. I was hoping I could get some answers out of them.” He shook his head and muttered. “Goddamn pigeon scratchings.”  The way he said it, Petra couldn’t help but giggle.

Levi slowly scanned the last paper. After reaching the end, he glanced up at her. She nodded, and he took the pen and signed in long, looping letters. “The one thing I’m good at,” he said. “Signing my name. Well, it looks like we’re finished. And a lot quicker than I thought, too.” He spoke in that usual monotone, but, for a second, he sounded almost disappointed.

“Next time Erwin dumps a stack on your desk, you know who to call for.”

“I guess I do.”

For a moment, their eyes met. The silence drew on for just a bit too long. Levi cleared his throat and looked down, and Petra sprung up from the chair. “Have a good night, Captain Levi!”

“Night, Petra. Oh, and uh…” he paused, that look of discomfort back on his face again. “Never mind, actually.”

“What? Please, I’m curious now.”

He shifted in his seat and Petra had to struggle to keep a neutral expression. Finally, he said, “Thanks.” He was almost, _almost_ , not frowning. “For the help.”

“Any time, captain. I’m glad I could be of assistance.”


End file.
